Night Changes | Unexpected Series Book Two

Prologue

"You don't understand, you don't understand, what you do to me when you hold his hand, we were meant to be but a twist of fate, made it so you had to walk away. 'Cause we're on fi-"

I reach for the ringing phone on my bedside table, silencing it as I grab it.
Squinting, I reach for it to see Harry requesting to Facetime me.
Something must be wrong because he knows I would be asleep so I sit up and click on the button to accept his call.
"Hey," I say, my voice thick with sleep, "is everything okay?"
Harry's mouth is set in a thin line and with my blurred sleep vision, I swear he almost looks angry.
He closes his eyes and sighs, and I can see now that he definitely is trying to calm himself.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he finally asks.
Okay, I'm confused now.
"Um...tell you what?" I reply.
"I've had to have my phone switched off and what do you think might be the first thing I find out as soon as I turn it on?" he goes on, trying to keep his voice even.
I really have no idea right now.
"Harry, it's the middle of the night here," I reply, "I'm still half asleep and in no state for guessing games so if I've done something can you just tell me please?"
He runs his hand through his already unruly curls and sighs again.
"I have to find out via text message from one of your kids about a goddamn snake biting you!" his voice rises, "from one of your kids Beth, not you," he emphasises his point again, "why on earth didn't you tell me?"
Oh.
That.
I'm going to kill whoever told him.
"Harry, I can't run to you with every little thing that happens," I reply, "what are you going to do from halfway around the world anyway?"
"But..." he shakes his head, bewildered, "a fucking snake bit you!"
"And I'm fine," I tell him, "sore, but fine.  I was going to tell you next we spoke."
"At least I would have known," he says, "even if I'm not with you, I still want to know everything and I would expect vice versa from you."
"I get what you're saying Harry, truly I do, but being separated like this means I can't run to you all the time, surely you realise that?" I try to explain.
All he does is frown at me.
"Well that's your choice," he mumbles.
"What did you just say?" I ask, surprise and a little bit of hurt runs through me.
"You could be here with me but you make excuses with the farm, the kids, your work..." he says.
"Harry I can't just uproot everything with a click of my fingers, you know that!" I reply, shocked at his outburst, "I want to but it's going to take time to transfer things, whether I sell the farm or not, our visas, their schooling..."
"God Beth, I'd buy your bloody farm if it meant getting you here quicker," he snaps.
Tears begin to prick at my eyes as I look at Harry.
But this isn't the Harry I know.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner..." I begin to say.
"Yes I know but you're Miss. Independent and you can do everything by yourself without anyone's help..." he scoffs.
I inhale sharply because even though he's right, I also know I've worked really hard at letting him into my family and my life.
Not just as a partner, but as someone I trust implicitly.
My heart feels heavy and I suddenly let the first thought that enters my still half asleep head, come out of my mouth.
"This isn't working is it?" I whisper.
Harry's eyes widen and all trace of anger disappears from his face as the gravity of what I just said hangs in the air.
"Beth...we can...I'm sorry...look..." he starts.
"Look at us, this isn't the Harry I fell in love with," I say, "we're arguing and snapping all the time, we miss each other we're so miserable...is this what you really want?"
"I want you, that's all," his words tumble out, "just you. Here with me."
"I know Harry, so do I," I reply, "but I feel like...maybe...that's just not enough."
"If you moved over here it wouldn't be like this," he counters.
"Harry that's so unfair," I reply, "I'm working at getting everything sorted but I also have so much more at stake here to lose than you do, to just give it all up and if we were to fail?  What happens to the kids and I? Where would we go?"
"You think I don't have anything on the line here?" he says, "I have laid my heart on the line for you, I have loved you with everything I have..."
"My whole livelihood is on the line, my home, my kids and me, I have everything to lose Harry!" my own voice starts to rise and I can't control it anymore.
"That's really optimistic Beth," Harry replies sarcastically.
"No, I'm being realistic Harry," I say, trying not to yell at him.
There's silence as we stare at each other and I so desperately want him to hold me right now instead of being like this.
"Harry I miss you so much, but maybe we just need to take a break and see how we're feeling after a few days of calming down," I suggest, "come back and talk more about us and where we're going to go..." I say, "when I'm upset or confused I like to take a day and rethink when I'm more calm and not so emotional so I can make better decisions..."
"No you don't," Harry cuts me off, "you push everyone away and want to be by yourself."
"Harry, not that's not what..." I begin.
"If that's what you want, then fine, I'll give you your space since it's what you seem to love so much," he says.
"Harry..." I start to say but then stop.
And my heart falls into my stomach.
There's no Harry staring back at me anymore.
Just a black screen.